Kurschus wants more efforts against anti-Semitism
Annette Kurschus, Chair of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), has called on Christians to make more efforts in the fight against anti-Semitism. Jewish people should "not have the slightest doubt that they can count on the churches", said the theologian on Sunday in Ulm. The church parliament, the so-called synod, is meeting there until Wednesday.
"There is trusting contact at all levels, we stand by Jews and ask them how we can help them. We must not let up in this, more than that, we must step up our efforts," said Kurschus, who is also President of the Evangelical Church of Westphalia, in her Council report to the EKD Synod.
The EKD Council President pointed out that anti-Semitism does not only exist in small, extreme groups. "It comes from our Christian history, it also germinates in our midst, among our church members." This had not been taken seriously enough, but could be changed. Kurschus also warned against anti-Muslim resentment.
The theologian reaffirmed the church's commitment to refugees. She said that she was deeply shocked by the way refugees have been talked about recently. For example, the word "migrant" appears almost in unison with the adjective illegal or irregular, although almost 80 percent of asylum seekers are granted legal protection status.
"The suggestion is made - carelessly or deliberately crude - that refugees are challenging the health care of locals." The EKD Council Chairwoman criticized that all of this was happening not only from the right-wing fringe, but also from the center of society. Other topics covered in her report included climate change and social justice. As the umbrella organization of 20 regional churches, the EKD represents 19.2 million Protestant Christians.
In light of the concerns about anti-Semitism, Kurschus emphasized the importance of Jews feeling secure within the church, stating, "We must not only maintain, but increase our efforts to foster trusting relations with the Jewish community." Furthermore, recognizing the widespread nature of anti-Semitism, Kurschus emphasized the need for religions, including Christianity, to confront their historical roots of anti-Semitism and take proactive measures to combat it. This includes addressing anti-Semitism within their own congregations and standing against it in society, as well as promoting understanding and respect for other religious communities, such as Judaism and Islam.
Source: www.dpa.com
